If Brian Ashton seeks change - and there is no imperative for doing so - today is the time, when he confirms the England team to play Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday in the fourth round of matches in the RBS Six Nations Championship. Change, moreover, that he wants rather than having it inflicted on him through illness or injury.

By winning in Paris nine days ago, England steadied a ship sailing dangerously close to the Six Nations rocks. Victory over France was not a thing of great beauty, but it was very English in its qualities, assisted by a back row that had worked hard to ensure a better return from the breakdown than they achieved in the narrow win over Italy in Rome.

That is precisely the unit that will have given Ashton, the head coach, and John Wells, the forwards coach, a head-scratching weekend because of injury concerns over Nick Easter and James Haskell. Easter came through for Harlequins against Gloucester on Saturday, in some discomfort because of a damaged knee, while Haskell rested the ankle injury that recurred early in the win over France.

If both come through their medical assessment they will join Michael Lipman as an unchanged unit against Scotland; if not, Ashton has only three more back-row forwards in his squad, of whom Joe Worsley has played too little rugby to be under genuine consideration for a start, leaving Luke Narraway (two caps) and Tom Croft (one cap) to slot in with the likes of the uncapped Phil Dowson and Jordan Crane farther down the track.

Ashton has injected some new blood into the squad since the match in Paris with the inclusion of Danny Care and James Simpson-Daniel, although it would be a surprise if either were involved in the match 22 for the defence of the Calcutta Cup. Both have been in fine form in the Guinness Premiership, but so has Paul Hodgson, who should retain his place as back-up scrum half to Richard Wigglesworth.

The absence until now of Simpson-Daniel from England's squad suggests that he is not about to supplant Lesley Vainikolo, his Gloucester colleague, on the wing, but at least he has proved himself worthy of consideration. If change is to come it will surely be at full back, where Iain Balshaw has struggled to impose his game.

Ashton has two alternatives ready to hand, Danny Cipriani and Mathew Tait. “England have told me they want me as a full back and I'm learning the position,” Tait said after high winds deprived him on Friday of a further appearance there for Newcastle Falcons. “If they look at me as a centre, they will tell me. I respect their wishes. I want to be the best player I can be - whatever that is.”

He has started an international once at No15 and has been a replacement three times and evidence suggests that his translation from centre is a work in progress.

Cipriani has played the best part of a season there for London Wasps and has a better understanding of the role that his director of rugby, his coach and his captain at Wasps believe is his next step.

The other player under threat is Mark Regan at hooker, a player who was brought back last year and showed strong character and huge enjoyment of the forward battle. Ashton feels a loyalty to the Bristolian and will not discard him lightly, but if he wants England's game to expand, Lee Mears, of Bath, could be preferred.

Nick de Luca has been ruled out of Scotland's midfield with a sprained right ankle and with injury concerns around Scott MacLeod and Ally Kellock, the country's most-capped player, Scott Murray, has been recalled along with Craig Hamilton to reinforce the second row.

— New Zealand and Australia will play a fourth Bledisloe Cup match next year, in Hong Kong on November 1, a promotional exercise but also a valuable one as both countries head for Europe.